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100
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
"Only two of the illegitimate infants visited died, one from
prematurity and the other from Enteritis.
"No inquiries were made in instances where the mothers were
servants in large houses.
"Nine infants were put out to nurse immediately after birth
and five of those born in the Workhouse remained there.
"Of the 151 illegitimate infants visited we were unable to
trace 23 on our second visit, as the mother 01 guardian of the child
had removed.
"30 mothers were not natives of this Borough.
"At the first visit 54 of these infants were wholly breast-fed,
but on re-visiting we only found seven were still being suckled as
many of the mothers had resumed work, but we were gratified to
find that only three were using farinaceous foods, two using bread
and Nestle's Milk, and one giving the breast and a little biscuit.
"Table LIII. shows the number of re-visits and the method
of feeding used, the average age at the second visit being from
four to five months.
"The proportion of infants entirely breast-fed on the first
visit is the highest we have yet recorded, being 82.2 per cent., as
against 81.6 per cent, in 1911, and 79.8 per cent, in 1910.
"The number of those having milk and food in addition is
slightly under the number for last year. The proportion of those
being fed on breast and cows' milk is 4 per cent as against 3.6 in
1911.